Meet Gladys Flores Garcia

I was born and raised in  Puerto  Rico in a small coastal town called Fajardo.  I was raised by my grandmother and mother, 2 of the strongest women I have ever met.  They showed me hard work,  perseverance, and compassion. I credit them with igniting my passion for advocacy and justice at an early age.  After earning a  Bachelor’s degree in Criminal  Justice with a concentration in  Forensic  Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico, I pursued a Juris Doctor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico's School of Law. During my first year of law school, I welcomed my first child—a challenge that only strengthened my resolve to succeed.  After passing the  Bar,  I  established my private practice in my hometown and litigated in criminal,  civil,  family,  and immigration law.  During this time, I dedicated the majority of my time to working with and representing the members of our economically disadvantaged communities by offering Pro Bono representation.  Until 2017.

 In  2017,  Hurricane  Maria devastated  Puerto  Rico,  marking a defining moment in my life. Overnight, I lost nearly everything  I had sacrificed and worked so hard for: my office was destroyed, and my online business vanished. Our town was left without power,  phone coverage, or internet for over three months.   During this time, most of the food in people’s homes was lost or spoiled, gas was limited, there was no banking, limited access to supplies and medical care, and schools were closed.  Also, I was running out of money.   So, I  made one of the most difficult decisions in my life, and relocated with two young daughters and what remained of my savings.  In December 2017, I landed in Rochester, NY, ready to build a new life for me and my kids.    Upon arriving in  New  York, I faced the reality that I could no longer practice law.   To support my family,  I  began working as a  bilingual Customer  Service  Representative for an insurance company, and working as a rideshare driver. This is how I launched my current career in the commercial insurance industry, where I became licensed, and have helped hundreds of small businesses across the US insure and protect their businesses and livelihoods.  In  2021,  I  achieved the dream  of buying my first house in  Victor, NY, providing my children with a stable place to finally plant our roots and to call home.    

 It began about a  year ago—  a voice in  the
back of my mind. However,  that voice grew steadily louder until it became a calling impossible to ignore.
Like so many in our community and across our Country,  I  am was and still am angry and frustrated. I  am angry to see the Country I love drift further from the core values and moral standing that define us as a free,  democratic  Nation. 

 As a woman,  I  am frustrated that we
are still fighting for the same basic rights more than 60 years later.  Our bodies have been the subject of legislation since before I—and even my mother—was born. 

 As a parent it pains me to look into the eyes of my two daughters and realize they will likely have to continue this fight, facing a future that remains unwelcoming to them as women, especially as Latina women.
I am frustrated that we elected officials,  who possess the tools and the means to protect hardworking citizens, yet have failed to do so. They have prioritized the interests of the wealthy and the corporations over the people who entrusted them with office,  leaving those who are the most vulnerable in our society to fend for themselves. 

Hard-working parents are forced to choose between paying a bill, buying food, or seeking medical care.  Single parents are struggling to build careers while raising children, a lot of times having to decide between one or the other.  This is especially true for single mothers, with systemic and economic barriers that make it nearly impossible to do both. I know these struggles intimately; I have experienced them firsthand. 

Our families deserve to live in dignity, our kids have a right to free and equitable education, and no kids should be hungry - period.  These are basic human rights and they are being actively threatened,  and I refuse to sit by and let this happen.

Our rural communities and our farmers deserve to be represented in Albany.  They deserve solutions. They deserve protection. 

It is time to consider the legacy we want to leave behind for younger generations,  particularly the young women of our country.  The time to be quiet and nice has long passed us.    It is time to stand up and fight!    It is time for stronger, unapologetic voices willing to stand up for their communities.  That is why I am fighting for mine.
 

*Women's health and reproductive rights * Free, equitable and competitive education and child care * Internet for rural communities *Economic justice for working parents *Solutions for our Farmers * Clean water, clean soil and clean produce *Stronger protections and harsher punishment for gender violence